Education
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Education Minister Hekia Parata and Pacific Peoples Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga today welcomed the release of dual language resources for Pasifika new entrant students.

The resources comprise 100 dual-language flip books, audio and online resources in five Pasifika languages – Samoan, Tongan, Tokelauan, Cook Islands Māori and Niuean – and English, as well as supporting materials for teachers and parents.

Hekia Parata Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga Local Government Education Pacific Peoples
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Almost half a million kids are now benefitting from their school being part of Communities of Learning | Kāhui Ako, says Education Minister Hekia Parata.

“Another 32 Communities of Learning | Kāhui Ako have now been approved, taking the total to 180 across every region of the country,” says Ms Parata.

Hekia Parata Education
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Education Minister Hekia Parata today welcomed the completion of the project to provide schools with fast, uncapped, Crown-funded internet.

“A total of 2431 schools are now connected to the $211 million N4L Managed Network, says Ms Parata.

“This is about providing schools and students across New Zealand with access to the vast world of learning resources available online.”

With the rollout completed, more than 789,000 students and teachers are using the N4L Managed Network for learning.

Hekia Parata Education
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A funding increase for the Wireless School Network Upgrade Project (WSNUP) will see $1 million provided towards retrofitting wireless technology at 34 state-integrated schools, Education Minister Hekia Parata announced today.

“This is about schools having the digital infrastructure they need to make the most of online resources for learning,” says Ms Parata.

In 2014, WSNUP was set up to retrofit wireless technology to schools that had not received wireless as part of the School Network Upgrade Project (SNUP).

Hekia Parata Education
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“I am encouraged by the latest TIMSS results and I want to congratulate students, parents, teachers and schools for their hard work. I want to also make special mention of the Year 5 science students, who were the stand-out achievers for taking their score from 497 to 506,” Ms Parata says.

Hekia Parata Education
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Education Minister Hekia Parata travelled to Kaikoura today to see first-hand the incredible efforts being made to reopen the region’s schools after the deadly 7.8 earthquake.

“I am grateful to everyone who has played a part in ensuring we could get children and young people back to school as safely and quickly as possible. I am also pleased to see how the schools came through the initial November 14 earthquake as well as the continual aftershocks,” Ms Parata says.

Hekia Parata Education
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Education Minister Hekia Parata has today formally invited the Education and Science Select Committee to consider a change to the Education (Update) Amendment Bill to prohibit the use of seclusion in schools.

“Following my announcement earlier this month that I intended to invite the Select Committee to consider legislation that would prohibit seclusion in schools and early childhood education services, I have now written to the Chair with the proposed Supplementary Order Paper for the committee to consider,” says Ms Parata.

Hekia Parata Education
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Education Minister Hekia Parata today announced the opening of the third round of bids for the $18 million Teacher-led Innovation Fund (TLIF).

The TLIF supports and resources teachers to collaboratively explore new ways and ideas to improve learning outcomes.

“We know the quality of teaching has the single biggest in-school impact on learners and this fund is giving our excellent teachers the opportunity to investigate and then inspire best practice. This project is for the benefit of every child and young person in this country,” Ms Parata says.

Hekia Parata Education
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A single point of access will be piloted to schools and families who need to access learning support for their children, Education Minister Hekia Parata announced today.

Ms Parata made the announcement at the Special Education Principals Association New Zealand conference in Wellington, as part of a progress update on the Learning Support (formerly Special Education) Update.

Hekia Parata Education
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Tena koutou katoa. Welcome. It’s great to be here with so many people who are working hard to give Kiwi kids the best possible education.

Four years ago, I established the National Cross Sector Forum as a way for key stakeholders to get together and talk about the most important issues in education. I value this forum as a vehicle for me, as Education Minister, to be able to update you on the education work programme, to get your feedback and advice, and for you to interact with the government’s education agencies.

Hekia Parata Education
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Education Minister Hekia Parata says proposed changes to the education funding system will centre on the progress and achievement of children and young people.

“I’ve been saying for some time that the current education funding system is too complicated and that we have poor line of sight from the investment our Government makes in education to how well kids do,” says Ms Parata.

Hekia Parata Education
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Education Minister Hekia Parata today announced the investment of $21.34 million in the Education Council of Aotearoa New Zealand.

“The Education Council has a vital role to play in raising the status of teaching, leading the teaching profession and setting and maintaining high professional standards. In order for it to do this important work its financial position must be sustainable and it currently isn’t,” Ms Parata says.

Hekia Parata Education
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Auckland’s new Kumeu Primary School will open on Gilbransen Road, Kumeu in early 2019, Education Minister Hekia Parata announced today.

“More than a third of the country’s population now lives in the Auckland region and Kumeu is a growing area. This new school will have capacity to meet the population growth demands in the area, in particular from the proposed Special Housing Areas and other private developments.

Hekia Parata Education
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Education Minister Hekia Parata has welcomed the release of an online guide to help schools plan new builds and building modifications that meet the needs of all students.

The Ministry of Education has released the guide on its Inclusive Education website and will showcase it today at a workshop for the OECD Group of National Experts in Effective Learning Environments.

“This is a very useful and comprehensive resource. It takes schools through all the components they need to think about when planning a new learning environment,” says Ms Parata.

Hekia Parata Education
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Education Minister Hekia Parata has sent her best wishes to students on the eve of their NCEA examinations.

“This is an exciting time for students because it’s the culmination of many months of hard work and study. I congratulate students for their efforts so far and wish them the very best for their exams,” Ms Parata says.

Around 146,000 students will participate in this year’s exams which begin tomorrow and continue until 2 December.

Hekia Parata Education
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New Zealand’s innovative and student-centred approach to designing schools will be showcased for international education experts visiting Auckland and Christchurch this week, Education Minister Hekia Parata says.

A delegation of representatives from OECD countries including Ireland, Greece, Japan, Turkey and Mexico are holding their annual meeting in New Zealand this year, to share information on effective learning environments.

Hekia Parata Education
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The Government will invest $6 million on the seismic strengthening of state-integrated schools in greater Christchurch, Education Minister Hekia Parata announced today.

“Eight state-integrated schools will receive funding to help them meet the cost of seismic strengthening their buildings,” says Ms Parata.

“This funding was made available in Budget 2016 to ensure that schools in greater Christchurch are able to provide safe and comfortable learning environments for their students.”

The schools receiving funding are:

Hekia Parata Education
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Education Minister Hekia Parata is inviting teachers, parents and anyone with an interest in the early learning sector to help refresh its curriculum framework for the future.

Te Whāriki has long been recognised as world leading and continues to be an important tool for delivering quality early learning for our youngest New Zealanders,” says Ms Parata.

“However it is now 20 years old. I want to ensure the curriculum remains relevant and robust for our children in years to come, so it is time for an update.

Hekia Parata Education
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Education Minister Hekia Parata today launched a new online curriculum design tool to improve learning experiences for children and young people in Communities of Learning | Kāhui Ako around the country.

“The tool will enable each Communities of Learning | Kāhui Ako to collaboratively design a quality ‘Kiwi’ curriculum that supports the unique learning pathway of every child and young person in that community,” Ms Parata says.

Hekia Parata Education
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Education Minister Hekia Parata has today announced that she is proposing to make the use of seclusion in schools illegal.

The Ministry of Education is also releasing guidance developed by an Advisory Group so that all schools can have a clear understanding of what is modern practice for dealing with challenging behaviour.

Hekia Parata Education
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Around $1.5 million will be invested to deliver a total of five new classrooms at schools in Blenheim and Nelson, Education Minister Hekia Parata announced today.

The schools are:

  • Whitney Street School, Blenheim – two new classrooms
  • Birchwood School, Nelson – one new classroom
  • Stoke School, Nelson – two new classrooms.

“Across New Zealand, regions such as Blenheim and Nelson are experiencing population growth, and this is having a flow-on effect on school rolls,” says Ms Parata.

Hekia Parata Education
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Education Minister Hekia Parata has today announced that Redcliffs School is to relocate to an alternative site in Redcliffs, Christchurch.

“After considering all the analysis, I have come to the decision that moving the school away from the current site under the cliffs is the best option for the future of Redcliffs School,” says Ms Parata.

Hekia Parata Education
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Around $650,000 will be invested to build two new classrooms at Paparore School in Northland, Education Minister Hekia Parata announced today.

“Paparore School has an increasing roll so we’re investing in extra classrooms to expand the school’s capacity,” says Ms Parata.

“The school is at the heart of the local community, so this investment reinforces our strong commitment to families in the Kaitaia area.”

Hekia Parata Education
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Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce and Education Minister Hekia Parata say today’s Better Public Service update shows the government is on track in lifting participation and achievement from our earliest learners, through to tertiary graduates.

Hekia Parata Education